These Years
by Jade Maxwell
Summary: Logic has always been a part of Sakura’s life that was why she left her village behind to find her own path; it was the logical thing to do at the time. Now she back, and everything she once knew will be shattered. What place does logic have in a town d


**These Years**

Status: Unknown

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto!

Warning: Yuri (Ino/Sakura), angst, death (not of Ino or Sakura), sap, romance, Alternate Time, slight Alternate Universe (meaning that the events that happen in this story didn't actually happen), slight OOC because they will be older so really it's not OOC to me, but you all might think it is, and lots of inner monologue. If none of these are your cup of tea, please do not read.

Notes: I had random urges for this story. Totally random considering Ino rather annoys me, but this is not set in the normal time as the series…so it will be different.

Summary: Logic has always been a part of Sakura's life that was why she left her village behind to find her own path; it was the logical thing to do at the time. Now she back, and everything she once knew will be shattered. What place does logic have in a town draped in grief?

`-`-`

It was raining the day they put him six feet under. The sky was crying almost as hard as Ino and Naruto were. Even I couldn't help but let a few tears slip. I had loved him; although it had been frivolous and immature. I still had loved him for most of my teen years. I watched as one ninja after another stepped forward to pay homage to him, their faces hard with sadness, the lines deepened and the rain followed those creases like a river follows its bed. Apparently no one had seen it coming. They couldn't save him and now he was dead.

I watched as Ino tucked her hands close to her body when she stepped next to the plain coffin. Her eyes were bloodshot and deep circles lined her eyes making her appear older than a twenty-year-old. And from here I couldn't tell if she was still crying or if the rain was making her eyes tear up. She was speaking quietly, the hard rain masking her words. Whatever she said lost to mud at our feet as she leaned down to kiss his coffin. Then she stepped back to stand near Naruto and I couldn't help wondering when they became so close.

She placed a calming hand on Naruto's shoulder as he stepped forward. His black uniform clung to his arms as he set them flat against the coffin lid. If I hadn't been one of his partners for so long, I wouldn't have noticed the way he was hiding his pain by being angry. He was taut from controlling himself from what? Kicking the wooden "cage" they were going to bury him in? Beating the crap out of the shaman murmuring words of passage from this plane to the next? I couldn't tell. He finally dropped his head, his still shaggy blonde hair falling around his face. Then he caressed the coffin lid and walked back to his spot. Leaning into Ino's side (when had she gotten so tall?) and hiding his face on her shoulder.

Being away so long had apparently left everyone else to change. I think I was expecting them to all be the same foolish prepubescent teens I had known them for. Yet here Naruto and Ino—two of the most passionate people, two people who had greatly disliked one another—had no problems comforting each other. I looked away when Ino caught my gaze. Her eyes were still the same light teal they had always been. My gaze drifted upwards, rain made me blink continuously, but the sky was beautiful in its turbulent tantrum.

As the coffin was lowered under the pounding of rain, the murmurs of the shaman, and the sobs of the village I knew that it shouldn't be raining on the day they buried him. There should have been thick, dark clouds that were pregnant with rain and anger. Locked until that final moment where the water fell in torrents. It should not have been raining as everyone said their goodbyes. It should have represented everything he was by being a locked rain cloud full of sadness and anger.

I watched as Ino hugged Naruto, kissing him on the forehead and whispering something to him. Naruto nodded and slowly made his way back into the village. Probably on his way home or to the ramen shop. Sadly I watched him walk away, his blonde hair plastered to his head the longer locks in the front hiding his eyes. Then he rounded the shrine and was gone from my view. I wonder if that was what he thought of me as I walked away from this town 4 years ago.

Shaking my head I turned back towards the gravesite. Watching these middle aged men who never became ninjas as they filled the hole where a plain coffin was lying.

"We didn't know if you would make it." I turned my head to see Ino's neck in my line of vision. Glancing up I noticed that she was smiling down on me sadly.

"I didn't either…" I turn back to the grave.

"You know, Naruto-kun is not taking you being back so well," her voice is softer than I ever remember hearing it. I look at her and shrug. "He was so sure that it was because of him you left…" She turned to face me fully, but I ignored the move to watch her out of the corner of my eye. "It wasn't because of him was it?"

"I don't think that is any of your business, Ino," I reply icily. I was never one for interrogation. Silently she turns her head to watch them fill in the hole completely. The men roll a patch of grass over the harsh gash in the earth. Then they push the headstone above the grave. It's a plain granite stone, not that I expected anything less. Sighing I push a hand through my close crop hair. Water and gel sticking to my fingers unpleasantly.

"You still have as big of a forehead as ever, Sakura." She smirks then stalks away. She pulls her long hair over her shoulder before disappearing around the shrine as well. And I am left alone at his gravesite. Standing amongst rain, tears, and whispered words that I never heard. Slowly I step forward and lay a hand on the wet granite of his headstone.

"Life never seems to throw us surprises, does it?" Slowly I sink to my knees, grimacing as cold mud seeps into my pants. My head rests against the stone as I start to cry. "This wasn't supposed to be the way we saw each other again, remember? I was going to walk into the village in another year to find you had been here a year longer than me already. We would go for drinks and laugh at my stupid crush on you; laugh at Naruto's antics and Kakashi-sensei's cryptic speeches.

"I would cry over the little things while you got me another drink and patted my back awkwardly given that you were never very good with emotions. Then, around midnight we would go to your apartment because I had nowhere else to sleep for the time being and you would make me sleep on the couch since you had to be rested well to train well the next day." I tightened my hands in my lap, trying to keep from sobbing as hard as it was raining. "That's what was supposed to happen, Sasuke…You weren't supposed to make a little mistake on a mission get yourself hurt. You weren't supposed to die…"

And then all I could was cry as the rain fell and the mud ruined my clothing.

`-`-`

Next part on the way! Please Read and Review!

Before anyone asks, yes I realize that Sasuke is strong enough that he wouldn't fail a mission, but this was necessary for what I have planned. I realize that a lot of you will hate me for killing him and I am sorry!


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